Guardians Farm Report: Vargas Sharp Again In Latest Appearance For Columbus Out Of The Pen

Only two of the four Cleveland Guardians minor league affiliate teams were in action on Wednesday as both Lake County and Lynchburg were traveling before, they resume their playoff series on Thursday.

Triple-A Columbus Clippers

Omaha 9 Columbus 1

Columbus starter Peyton Battenfield didn't make it out of the third inning Wednesday night in a very uncharacteristic starter for him. Battenfield allowed seven runs on eight hits and a walk without recording a strikeout vs Omaha over just two and a third innings pitched. For Battenfield he is now 8-6 on the season with a 3.64 ERA after suffering the loss.

On offense the Clippers would score just once on six hits with the lone run coming on an RBI double by center fielder Oscar Mercado in the second inning that scored left fielder George Valera who had reached on a base hit early in the inning.

Guardians young 22-year-old RHP prospect Carlos Vargas made his fourth Triple-A appearance out of the pen in the game striking out two in one scoreless inning of work.

The flame throwing Vargas who possesses a fastball that touches 100 mph now has 12 strikeouts over just six innings with a 1.50 ERA since being promoted from Akron.

#Guardians 22yr old RHP prospect Carlos Vargas w/ another scoreless inning tonight for Columbus. Vargas now has 12 strikeouts in 6.0 innings at AAA in 4 games.

Line - 1.0(IP) 0H 0R 0ER 0BB 2SO

AAA - 6.0(IP) 4H 1R 1ER 2BB 12SO 1.50 ERA@carlosv08282869 @CLBClippers #ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/tuffpLKiaC
— Guardians Prospective (@CleGuardPro) September 15, 2022

The loss drops Columbus to 78-57 on the year.

Top Performers:

Oscar Mercado 1-4 2B RBI
George Valera 1-4 R
Bo Naylor 1-3
Tim Herrin 2.2(IP) 2H 0R 0ER 0BB 5SO
Adam Scott 2.0(IP) 1H 0R 0ER 1BB 5SO
Carlos Vargas 1.0(IP) 0H 0R 0ER 0BB 2SO

Double-A Akron RubberDucks

Bowie 7 Akron 3

After Bowie led off the game with a solo home run in the top of the first inning the RubberDucks leadoff hitter Jose Tena would also go deep tying the game at one run apiece in the bottom half of the frame. For Tena it was his 11th home run on the season.

#Guardians 21yr old INF prospect Jose Tena led of tonight's game for Akron with his 11th HR of the season!@AkronRubberDuck #ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/bguPadRhGk
— Guardians Prospective (@CleGuardPro) September 15, 2022

Akron now trailing 3-to-1 would cut the Baysox lead to just one run in the bottom of the fourth inning when designated hitter Ray Delgado would hit another solo home run with two outs making it a 3-to-2 contest. Delgado's home run was his third with the Ducks and fifth overall on the season.

#Guardians 22yr old INF prospect Ray Delgado with a solo blast in the 4th inning for Akron against Bowie. The HR for Delgado was his 3rd with the Rubberducks & 5th overall on the season.@RayDelgado15 @AkronRubberDuck #ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/FFqK50nqJu
— Guardians Prospective (@CleGuardPro) September 15, 2022

Bowie would add to their lead plating two more runs in the top of the sixth inning taking a 5-to-2 lead. Akron would respond with their third solo home run of the game this time off the bat of left fielder Johnathan Rodriguez cutting the lead back to two runs at 5-to-3.

The home run for Rodriguez was his fourth in his last eight games for Akron and 25th on the season over two different levels. Rodriguez now has 51 extra base hits on the year in just 103 games in his breakout 2022 campaign.

#Guardians 22yr old OF prospect Johnathan Rodriguez remains red hot at the plate for Akron slugging his 4th HR in his last 8 games! The solo bomb was his 25th now on the year. He now has 51 extra base hits in just 103 games played. @jjrodz55 @AkronRubberDuck #ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/oHsSfKliUo
— Guardians Prospective (@CleGuardPro) September 15, 2022

The RubberDucks bullpen would surrender two more runs in the ninth inning making it a 7-to-3 game. The Baysox would hold Akron scoreless in their half of the ninth and take the win.

The loss drops Akron to 77-57 on the season and three games behind Erie in the Eastern League SouthWest division playoff race with four games to go.